Road To Forgiveness
by GoldenGirlSherry
Summary: Sequel to Divorce Date. On the drive home Tony makes amends with Angela.
1. Chapter 1

"We figured out it's been about a year since your trip to South Carolina."  
"Your one year Anniversary."

Sam and Jonathon's words had haunted him ever since they had said them. He couldn't figure out why at first. It was like someone's name being on the tip of your tongue. You knew you knew it but you couldn't remember it no matter how hard you tried.  
"One year anniversary?" he had said silently to himself during the party the family had thrown for them. Even during the drive down he kept hearing Sam and Jonathon's voices going round and round in his head. He just couldn't figure out why their words had bothered him so much. Okay so they had been married for a year. Unintentionally of course. "I mean hey stranger things have happened." he thought to himself. It wasn't until they were in the Judge's chambers trying to find grounds for their annulment that he finally realized why he had felt so uneasy ever since Sam and Jonathon had said it was their one year anniversary.

"Well, marriage unconsummated " the judge had drawled in his southern accent.

There right there it had hit him. The judge might as well as taken his gavel and hit him on the head with it. That is why he had been feeling so uneasy. It wasn't the fact that they had never consummated their "marriage." No. it was something else. Something deeper. Something unforgivable he had done.  
Something he had to-needed to apologize to her for.

He glanced over at her. She was fast asleep. He could look at her forever but considering the fact that he was driving he didn't think that would be a good idea. So he reluctantly took his eyes off her and back on the road. But, he could still see her. She was engraved in his heart. She always had been and now he knew she always would be.

He sighed as his thoughts drifted once again to their words. They had been married for a whole year and had never consummated their marriage. They had never made love. But, he had- with another woman. He had broken his marriage vows. Unintentionally of course. After all neither one knew that they were married. So why should he feel guilty if he didn't know? If they had known he never would have stayed in that hotel room. Even if they had been married in name only he still would never have betrayed her. There was no doubt in his mind.

But, still a part of him did feel guilty. Uneasy. After their date last night he could feel the two of them getting closer. Closer than they had been in- well since they had broken things off with Kathleen and Andy. He wanted things to continue as they were. He wasn't quite there-yet. But, he knew some day he would be. But, first there were a few things he had to do first. Starting with apologizing for hurting her like he did.

He sneaked a glance over to her and saw her eyes slowly open.

"Well hey there sleeping Beauty Boss."

"Sleeping beauty Boss?" she laughed.

"Yeah, you were sleeping. You're beautiful and you're my Boss." he winked at her.

"If you say so." she smiled back at him stretching her arms above her head. "How long before we're home?"

"I'd say about an hour."

"Good."

"Hey Angela?"

"Yeah?"

"I need to say something to you."

"Okay. What?"

"Well ever since the family threw us that Anniversary party something has been on my mind."

"Oh, I so agree with you! I mean can you believe that gift Mother gave us?! But, hey I guess we shouldn't be surprised should we? But, still we can't keep it especially with Billy in the..."

"No Angela," he interrupted her. "I'm not talking about that."

"Oh then what are you talking about?" she asked in confusion.

"Ummm remember when Sam and Jonathon said that it was our one year anniversary?"

"Yeah."

"So that means we've been married for a year."

"Very good. My ex-hubby is such a smart man." she teased him.

Her smile faded when she saw the look on his face. It was pensive. Thoughtful. Serious. Obviously he had something much much deeper on his mind.

"Tony, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"No, Angela I'm not upset about what you said. I'm upset about what I did."

"What did you do? And is what you did have anything to do with what Sam and Jonathon said?"

"Yes, it does."

"Okay what?"

"Well ever since Sam and Jonathon said it was our one year anniversary I had this uneasy feeling. And it really intensified when the Judge mentioned marriage unconsummated as one of our grounds for getting our marriage annulled."

"Tony? What does one thing have to with another?"

"Angela." he said softly. "I need to apologize to you."

"For what?" she asked perplexed.

"Angela, I did something unforgivable. I didn't mean to. I mean if I had known that we were married I never would have. You have to believe me. Please baby you have to believe me."

"Tony, what in the world are you talking about?"

"Angela, I cheated on you while we were married."

"Cheated?!" She was confused for a few moments until she realized what he was referring to. His relationship with Kathleen. She glanced over at him and her heart sank at his expression. It was one of remorse and guilt. She didn't want him looking or feeling guilty. After all, neither of them had known. "Tony you can't seriously think I would hold what happened between you and Kathleen against you? Or that I would ever think that? We had no idea that we were married. I mean if you cheated then so did I."

"I know that logically Angela. I mean yeah neither one of us knew that we were married. But, I still feel guilty for hurting you. And even though I know up here" he said tapping his head. "That I shouldn't feel guilty since we didn't know. I do in here. " he said tapping his heart.

"Tony, what's done is done. The past is just that- the past. Neither one of us should have any reason to feel guilty. I mean it's like we said we had no idea that we were married."

"If we had I never would have. Even though we were married in name only. You still were my wife. You believe me don't ya?" he asked fear creeping in his voice.

"Of course I do." she assured him giving him a smile that made his heart skip a beat.

"Thank you Angela." he said to her giving her a smile that made her heart skip a beat.

They rode in silence for a few minutes each lost in their own thoughts.

"Hey beautiful boss?"

"Yeah?"

"How about some music?"

"Sounds good."

He pushed the tape in and immediately the soothing voice of Frank Sinatra filled the jeep as It Had To Be You began to play.

Smiling at each other they joined their hands in silent communication.

Some day soon it would be them.


	2. Chapter Two

They rode in companionable silence each lost in their own thoughts. Their hands were still linked together as if both were afraid that if they let go the other would float away. They were content in knowing that even unsaid they would always be together. Those three little words hadn't been exchanged yet but they both knew some day they would be. When they were both ready. For now they were okay. They had been through hell and back and were still together. Together through divorce, job loss, children raising, Mona raising, dating others, him going to college, her starting her new Ad agency... all that had led them here. Together. It was amazing he thought. Their undefined, out of the ordinary relationship had lasted longer than most marriages. He stole a glance at her and found her deep in thought. He could always tell when she was. Her forehead would crease and her eyes would take on this serious expression. He loved her eyes. Whoever said that eyes were the windows to the soul must have had Angela in mind. Her eyes always told him things sometimes more than her words did. He knew when she was happy like whenever she landed a new account or when Sam and Jonathon did something to make her proud. Unfortunately, he also knew when she was sad. Like when she lost her job or when Michael threatened to sue for custody of Jonathon. And of course there was that horrible time not to long ago where the sadness in her eyes was like a knife in his heart. He could still see the sadness and pain. Inwardly he flinched and then let out a deep breath thankful that chapter of their lives was finally over. He squeezed her hand gently and realized how lucky he was. The woman he loved was sitting beside him. He still wasn't ready to admit it to her yet. But, he could finally admit it to himself. It felt good and when the time was right he would tell her.

Angela glanced down at their hands that were still connected together and smiled. All they were doing was holding hands and she never felt more loved or connected to someone in her life. And she knew, well at least she hoped she knew, that Tony loved her. But, he wasn't ready to tell her yet. And that was okay. She had him back. All the ugliness of the past was finally over and her Tony was back. She had waited patiently for the past few years for him to tell her that he loved her and she would wait more if she had to. She felt him squeeze her hand gently and in a strange way it felt like he was telling her that he did love her but just wasn't ready to tell her just yet. She didn't mind though. He would tell her when the time was right.

Up ahead they noticed a car pulled up at the side of the road.

"I wonder what's wrong?" she asked.

"Well only one way to find out." he answered pulling up behind the car.

They got out and started walking towards the other car. "Um excuse me do you need any help?" Tony asked.

The car door opened and a nun stepped out.

"Oh thank the Lord you came along. I was driving to take some clothes and canned goods to Good Will and I got a flat tire. Could you please fix it for me?"

Tony was stunned. A nun with a flat tire?! He felt like he was having an out of body experience.

"Sure, we'd be happy to help you Sister." Angela said and then glanced over at Tony. "Tony? Are you okay?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and said "Yeah, I'm fine. Do you have a spare tire Sister?"

"Oh yes in the trunk. And my name is Sister Mary Margaret." she smiled at them.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Tony and that lovely lady over there is Angela."

"Your wife?"

"No, we're just good friends." Angela smiled.

"I see." she smiled.

Tony got the spare tire out of the trunk and proceeded to change it all the while having a weird yet calming feeling come over him. "A nun driving a car that got a flat tire." he mumbled to himself. That was what Mona had said when she had found out about Kathleen and him.

"Well I guess this is the good Lord's way of punishing me." Sister Mary Margaret chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Angela asked.

Well as I said I was driving to Good Will but I was taking the scenic route and so this must be God's way of telling me that I shouldn't have done that."

The scenic route?! Tony nearly dropped the jack he was holding.

"Oh, I'm sure God didn't mind if you took the scenic route." Angela assured her.

"Oh I know Dear. But, perhaps he had me get the flat tire so I could meet the two of you."

"Why?" Angela asked completely confused.

"Oh, I don't really know dear. But, the Lord does work in mysterious ways."

*He sure does* Tony thought smiling. They might not understand but he certainly did.

"Okay Sister you're all set."

"Oh thank you. How could I ever repay you?"

"Oh no need for that Sister. Actually you helped me more than you'll ever know." Tony smiled at her.

"Well, I'm not sure what you mean by that but I'll take your word for it." she smiled back at him. "Good bye and may God bless both of you."

"Thank you Sister. Take care."

"Good bye Sister."

She turned to go to her car and before she did she reached into her pocket and took out a pair of glasses.

"I can't forget these. I'm blind without them!" she chuckled. She waved at them, put her glasses on and slid into her car and drove away.

Angela walked back to the jeep and slipped into the passenger seat. She watched Tony just standing there looking in the direction Sister Mary Margaret had driven off. "A nun who is blind." he said softly to himself. "Well, I guess she isn't blind anymore. And neither am I." he smiled. He walked to the car and slid in to the driver's seat.

"Tony? Are you okay?" she asked concern and fear threading through her voice.

He turned to her and smiled. "Oh I'm more than okay Angela. I'm terrific." He winked at her then started the jeep up and slipped his hand over hers.


End file.
